They're not voting because...

Vote "None of the Above"

I don't want to vote for any of them. BUT I will go to the polling booth, and mark a ballot paper. There has been a 300% increase in "spoiled ballot papers" in the last two elections. They are counted, and sooner or later the message will get home. The message is "None of the Above!"

written 18th Apr 2005

Responses

Ade replies: It seems as though a few of us on here have the same idea. We've got 2 weeks to convince the rest of the electorate.

Let's see how Snow's "Swingometer" deals with this revolution!!

written 18th Apr 2005

Spolier replies: Spoling the ballot is the only hope we have of a 'protest' vote that is political neutral.

We also need to make sure that we get a fair reading of the spolit paper. There are are some of us that will be look to use the freedom of information act to get the spolit ballots assessed.

written 26th Apr 2005

Tiger43 replies: I know, lets have a spoil the ballot paper party!

written 26th Apr 2005

Simon replies: The Freedom of Information Act is not needed. The spoiled ballots are already assessed - Google for "spoiled ballot" and you'll fund the 2001 figures online. The problem is how to get the mainstream media to tell people that there is a "none of the above" option on their ballot papers.

written 29th Apr 2005

Al replies: Spoling your ballot paper has no effect.

Yes, eventually, (four years on) the figures on who spoiled their ballot paper do come out, all though by this point is slightly more irrelvant than it was when you did it.

You'd be better off not turning up at all.

If you don't turn up it's immediatley obvious that you don't want to vote for any of them and it saves you moving off your apathetic bottom.

Better still vote for a party that wants to change the political system to make it fairer and more representative... the Lib Dems for example.

written 29th Apr 2005

Nia replies: I had a thought last night in bed that all the 'not apathetic' non-voters should turn up and spoil a ballot by writing their reason for not voting on the ballot slip. It probably would get noticed, especially if a lot of people did it. Despite not *officially* counting for anything it would be a reasonably effective protest. Especially if lots of people said the same thing e.g. "I don't trust polititians" or "no parties care about issue x" or "the electoral system is flawed".

written 29th Apr 2005

Al replies: If you're all in agreement that you don't like any of the parties why don't you start your own party, then you've got a really box to tick.

Call it the British Not Apathetic Party BNAP.

You could base your policies on having a go at how rubish all the other parties are without having a coherent opinion of your own.

written 29th Apr 2005

Simon replies: The reason it is better to spoil a paper than to not turn up is that not turning up can be misinterpreted. I will go to the polling booth, and if there is a candidate who represents my views on certain issues (didn't vote for ID cards or Iraq, for example) then I will vote for them.

But by spoiling a paper I have demonstrated that I am willing to get off my butt.

For what it's worth, the spoiled papers are shown to the candidates or their representatives, as part of the process of making sure the election is open. The candidates want to know that the election officers are not counting votes for them as "spoiled". So your comments will be noticed right there and then!

written 4th May 2005

Al replies: Yes but not by the public, just by the politicians and they're only bothered about public embarrassment.

Spoiling your ballot paper is a pathetic form of protest that acheives nothing.

Lib Dems didn't vote for ID cards or Iraq plus they want to reform the system so your vote means more in future.

written 4th May 2005

About Not Apathetic

NotApathetic was built so that people who are planning not to vote
in the UK General Election
on May 5th can tell the world why. We won't try to persuade you that
voting is a good or a bad idea - we're just here to record and share
your explanations. Whether ideological, practical or other, any reason
will do.

A lot of users would like us to
mention that if you spoil your ballot paper, it will
be counted. So if you want to record a vote for "none of the
above", you can.